Automatic flushing apparatus



n (No Model.)

F. WALKER.

AUTOMATIC FLUSIIING APPARATUS.

Patented Aug. 28, 1894;

.FI G21.

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FIG.

Inl/ardor ,Fran/k Wal/ser UNI-TED STATESY :PATENT OFFICE..

FRANK WALKER, OF LOS-ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AUTO MA1-1c FLU s H1 Nie lAFPA RVA-rn s.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'ratent No. 525,244, datednugust 28,1894.

" Application ned January 31, 1893. sermNoAeaflet. naman.)

l.To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK WALKER,'a citizen-of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles, Los Angeles county, California,have invented certain Improvements in Automatic Flushing Apparatus, ot which the following is a speciication.

y My invention relates to siphon iiushing devices such as are used for the periodical flushing of drain pipes, water closets, sewers, dac., the object of the invention being to construct a siphon of a simple and eective character, andthe special features of the invention being fully set forth and specifically claimed hereinafter. y

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1, is a sectional view of a siphon iushing device `-onstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is a sectional plan View of the same on the line 1 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3, is a sectional plan View on the line 3 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating a modified construction; and Fig. 5,\is a sectional plan view on the line 5--6, Fig. 4.

A represents a tank or receptacle which receives a continuous supply of water, B the outlet pipe leading to the drain pipeor other device to be hushed and communicating with the tank A through a I,pipe C trapped at C', the uptake of the trap having an enlarged discharge end c where it connects with the outlet pipe B. In-the pipe C, which forms the longer ieg of a Siphon, is a partition d tormin g an air vent passage d', d2 trapped at e and communicating at its lowest point with the main trap C through an opening e. The discharge end d2 of the vent passage is on a slightly higher level than the discharge of the main trap and is so arranged as to discharge its contents into the enlarged portion c of the trap C', while the passage dy terminates at a point in the upper portion ofthe pipe C and is preferably arranged as shown in Fig. l, the pipe C having an offset g and the upper end of the partition plate d being bent over so that the mouth of the vent will be to.one side of the downward flow of'water during the siphon action. To further prevent the ow of water into the mouth of the vent tube, I provide adetlector plate orledge .h at the junction of the oset and the main pipe C, as shown. The short or intake leg of `the siphon is formed bya dome E which extends above the mouth of the pipe (Lits lower edge terminating at a short distance from the bottom of the tank.v Surmounting the main ldome E is a second dome F-suitably supported by said dome E, but at a short distance therefrom so as to form between the two domes a chamber h', or instead ot' this outer dome there `may be one or more passages such as shown for instance by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The lower edge of the upper dome terminates at a point a slight distance above the lower edge of the dome E and the entrance tothe-chamber h between the domes is contracted toa considerable extent by the use of circular ribs i t" overlapping each other, and permitting the water to enter slowly between them, but, at the same time, preventing, to a considerable extent, the entrance of foreign matters, which might interfere with the proper working of the apparatus. Projecting downwardly from the upper portion of the dome Eand communicating with the chamber h between the domes is a tube H, the lower end of which terminates in the pipe C at a point some distance below the lower edge of the dome E.

The operation of the device is as follows: IAsshown in Fig. 1, the siphon action is just about to commence, the water in the tank A having accumulated to such an extent as to rise beneath the dome E and in the chamber h between the domes, thus compressing the air contain ed within the dome E, chamber h', discharge pipe C andvcnt passage d. As the water accumulates in the tank A, this compression of air will gradually force the water contained in the trap e to or about the level shown in Fig. l, the surplus water iowing out from the passage d2 into the enlargedl chamberc ofl the trap C. As the Water in the tank continues to rise, the air willr force its way through the 'vent passage d2, thus lsuddenly lessening the back pressure in the dome E and permitting the water to rise very rapidly within the same and overflow into the pipe C constituting the longer leg of the siphon, thereby starting the discharge of the Water from the tank. As soon as the press- IOO ure of air is relieved in the pipe C the Water contained in the chamber c (which has been augmented by the addition of the water from the passage d2) will rise in the pipe C andmeet the down flow of water, the whole then flowing out through the discharge pipe B. This action continues-until the waterhas been exhausted from the tank A to a point below the level of the lower edge of the dome E when the entrance of air to the dome E and through the pipe H breaks the flow of water and the siphon action ceases. The water contained in the chamber h gradually `drains out from between the domes after the level in the tank A has fallen below the edge of the dome F, thus preventing any air from entering in the pipe C until the water is drawn down to the bottom of the dome E. After the siphon action is broken, the water in the trap C assumes its normal level, the water flowing into thetrap e of the ven-t passage through the opening e until the water in both traps assumes the same level.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, I have illustrated the application of the device to the flushing of two pipes B B, and the main pipe D' extends in a direct vertical line to near the lower end of a chamber C which forms the up-take of the trap and with which the pipes B B communicate. In this case the vent passages d', d2 are placed on one side of the pipe D', the vent tube clcommunieating with said pipe D"through an opening d3. The action :in this case is precisely the same as that previously described with reference to Fig. l, the water level shown in Fig.

4 being that which is assumed after each action of the siphon ceases.

In constructing the siphon shown in Fig. l I have formed the vent tubes integral with the discharge pipe C and the trap C and in all cases I prefer to arrange the vent passages to some extent Within the longer leg of the siphon so that in the event of leakage of air there will be little or no danger of the failure of the siphon action.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination, in a flushing device, of the tank, a siphon discharge pipe, a vent passage within the same, a dome forming the short leg of the si phon, a supplementary domesurmounting said main "dome and forming between the two a passage having a contracted outlet, and a vent pipe forming a communication between said passage and the siphon pipe, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a flushing device, of atank, a trapped siphon pipe, a contracted air vent passage having a trap communicating at the bottom with that of the main siphon pipe, and a discharge pipe leading from said main trap, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

A 'FRANK WALKER.

l/Vitnesses:

Lnn D. CRAIG, FRANK P. PRAY. 

